Some Thoughts About Stress & How To Better Manage It
A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked "How heavy is this glass of water?"
Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.
The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."
He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. "
"As with the glass of water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."
So, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.
Stress Lowering Activities
- Mindful breathing exercise
- 5 minute meditation on the go
- Progressive muscle relaxation
- Backward counting exercise
- Make a Worry Box
- Do a quick exercise - 20 jumping jacks, 10 chair squats, 5 arm circles
- Activate your senses - do something tactile (smell, taste or touch something with purpose)
- Give yourself a massage
- Dance!
- Take a bubble bath
- Stretch
- Doodle, color or draw
- Read or listen to a book
- Journal
- Reduce caffeine intake
- Laugh more!
Be sure to
- Find support. Let your family and friends know how to help. Don’t assume they know what you need.
- Set realistic goals. School, work, family, and glucose management can be overwhelming. Find a reasonable balance.
- Stay positive! Focus on what you can control.
- Start small and bask in the glow of your successes!
Strategies for Insulin Users
- Consider giving a small dose of rapid-acting insulin an hour or two prior to a stressful event.
- If you wear an insulin pump, consider running a Temporary Basal Rate. A 60% to 80% increase for three hours, starting an hour or two prior to the event, can work nicely.
Reference
Think Like A Pancreas: A Practical Guide to Managing Diabetes With Insulin by Gary Scheiner
Portable Guide to Stress Relief
Stress-Reducing Activities You Can Do at Home